Crushing Second Screen: The Ultimate TV Companion

WWE has been making TV history since ’85 when Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon took the gamble of a lifetime on an unprecedented closed-circuit make-it-or-break-it TV event dubbed “WrestleMania.”

Today, WWE has not only created a whole new way to watch television—with the ultimate “second screen” experience inside the WWE App (10 million downloads) — but it has also disrupted the Social landscape (reaching 260 million social followers) and re-invented the premium content business: Launching WWE Network to complement its 30+ year Pay-Per-View business. With its fan-first focus, WWE has reimagined how media is distributed across a modern media landscape. In this session, we’ll reveal how WWE uses technology, storytelling, and innovative product strategies to engage one of the most passionate fan bases in the world.

Presenters

John Cena

WWE Superstar

WWE

John Cena, whether he knew it or not at the time, started grooming himself for a career in sports entertainment at the age of four when he made his first championship belt out of computer paper in his West Newbury, MA home. Cena's WWE debut in June 2002 was an accomplishment that he had dreamed about for more than 20 years. Today, Cena combines his athleticism, charisma, strong work ethic and genuine personality to make him one of the brightest stars in WWE and its hit cable program, Monday Night RAW on the USA Network.

Since joining WWE, Cena’s personality and charisma have led to starring roles in Hollywood. His first theatrical film was the action-thriller The Marine from 20th Century Fox and WWE Studios. He has also starred in the action-thrillers 12 Rounds, which was directed by Renny Harlin and The Reunion. In 2010, Cena showed his range as an actor in the family drama, Legendary, alongside Patricia Clarkson and Danny Glover. Cena has a terrific sense of humor, so it was natural for him to be cast as the father in Nickelodeon’s teen comedy trilogy Fred: The Movie.

Cena devotes much of his time working on behalf of numerous charitable causes including the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. In 2012, Cena set a Make-A-Wish record granting his 300th wish to Hop Bottom, Pa. native Jonathan Littman. Seven-year-old Littman joined Cena on Good Morning America with ABC News’ weather editor Sam Champion during the weather report. In addition, Cena’s work with Make-A-Wish is widely recognized as he is the only celebrity to reach the 300th wish milestone. Cena has also been awarded the Chris Grecius Award in 2009 – Make-A-Wish’s highest honor - and was the main reason Make-A-Wish named a conference room at the foundation’s world headquarters after WWE for its support of kids. He wrote a piece for USA Weekend on the Power of Wishes and his tireless work with Make-A-Wish has been featured on NBC’s The Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America and CBS’ The Talk.

John Cena has proven himself to be a powerful marketing force. In 2013, WWE and Post signed a partnership to produce 8 million boxes of Pebbles cereal featuring Cena. He has appeared in advertising and marketing campaigns for Gillette, Mattel, Subway, 7-Eleven and Burger King. Cena is also a powerhouse on social media as the seventh most followed athlete in the world, third in the U.S. behind Michael Jordan and LeBron James, with more than 22 million followers on Facebook and Twitter combined.

Michael Cole

Host

WWE

Perkins Miller

EVP, Digital Media

WWE

Perkins is responsible for global digital P&L and overall digital operations, including mobile, web, gaming, production, business development as well as content distribution and sales. Perkins also oversees strategic growth initiatives, including creating the first-ever, global pay-per-view of the last Rolling Stones concert of 2012.

Prior to joining WWE, Perkins served as Chief Operating Officer and founding member of Vocativ, a new media start up. This company, which is based in New York, applies smart technology to verify news around the world in real-time, leveraging crowd-source and social-source news like never before.

Before Vocativ, Miller was the Chief Operating Officer for Universal Sports Network, overseeing all operational aspects of the business, including sales, marketing, business development, production, and digital media. Additionally, Miller was Senior Vice President, Digital for NBC Sports. There, Miller oversaw NBC’s largest digital sports brands, including the NFL, NHL and the 2010 and 2008 Olympic Games, which spanned online, mobile, iTV, VOD, EST, and gaming. The combined Games drew more than 100 million unique visitors, more than two billion page views, and more than 115 million videos streamed -- making them the largest digital events in history at the time.

Miller has received several Emmy Awards, including an Emmy Award for NBCOlympics.com coverage of the 2008 Games, and in 2008, he was named #3 among Sports Business Journal’s Top 20 “Most Influential In Digital Sports.” Miller graduated with honors from Middlebury College.

Stephanie McMahon

Chief Brand Officer

WWE

Stephanie McMahon was named Chief Brand Officer in December 2013 and is responsible for leading WWE’s efforts to further enhance its brand reputation among key constituencies including advertisers, media, business partners and investors. Stephanie serves as the company’s brand ambassador and works with WWE’s business units to support key growth initiatives. She is the primary spokesperson for WWE's CSR initiatives, including Be a STAR, WWE’s anti-bullying program. Stephanie also leads the company's targeted youth and moms marketing campaigns.

Prior to being named Chief Brand Officer, Stephanie was Executive Vice President, Creative and was responsible for overseeing the creative development of all WWE television, pay-per-view programming, print, digital and social media content.

Stephanie began her career with WWE in 1998 as an Account Executive for the WWE sales office in New York City, while also developing her television personality on WWE programming. Stephanie's career growth and development spans over multiple business areas including directing and producing some of WWE's televised events. She has also managed WWE's Talent Relations, Talent Brand Management and Live Events businesses.

Stephanie is a member of the Board of Directors for both the USO Metropolitan Washington and the digital media company, Tout, Inc. Stephanie has received Fairfield County Business Journal's 2010 "40 Under 40" award and was recognized as one of the "Most Powerful Women in Cable" by CableFAX magazine in 2009, 2011 and 2012. She was also named one of Multichannel News’s Women to Watch for 2013.